Piracy machines worth $12 mn destroyed

MUMBAI: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer (MDTCA) Affairs smashed 14 replicating lines, 13,400 optical discs, printers and other machinery seized from six factory raids in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The destruction ceremony took place at the MDTCA warehouse in Nilai and is part of the countryâ€™s unrelenting fight against optical disc piracy.

This is the second time MDTCA has destroyed machines seized on order of forfeiture from the court. Malaysiaâ€™s first-ever destruction of unlicensed replicating machines took place at a steel factory in Penang in 2004.

The event was officiated by Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Shafie Apdal. â€œThe destruction of the seized production lines serves as a deterrent and ensures that these resources do not fall into the wrong hands,â€ said the minister, reiterating the governmentâ€™s seriousness in fighting piracy.”

â€œThe destruction of the machines not only sends a strong anti-piracy message but also has the practical effect of eliminating the machines from the production cycle,â€ said Mike Ellis, Senior Vice President and Regional Director, Asia-Pacific for the Motion Picture Association. â€œThe Malaysian government has significantly raised the cost of doing business for the piratesâ€.

A total of 14 replicating lines, 13,400 optical discs, five printers, nine metalizing machines, 41 stampers, eighteen silk screens, two compressors, four dryers, one chiller as well as eight TVs and four CCTV cameras were seized from the six factory raids, which were carried between 2001 to 2006.